Iron holder



1964 A. J. s'r PIERRE 62,

mom HOLDER Filed Jan 4, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Amen/e cl St Pierre z aznzwl/ jv ATTORNEY Dec. 22, 1964 A. J. s'r PIERRE IRON HOLDER 2 Sheets$heet 2 Filed Jan. 4, 1962 Arxeme J J1. Pierre ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,162,415 IRGN HGLDER Arsene 3. St Pierre, Glastonbury, Quinn, assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Albert R. Ziwrdi, North Westport, Mass, and Francis Souza, Arsene 3. St Pierre, tlharies St Pierre, and Roger O. Banville, all of Fall River, Mass.

Filed .lan. 4, 1962, Ser. No. 164,246 8 Qiahns. (Cl. 2-l3-1'l7.6)

This invention relates to supports and more particularly to a holder tor a household iron.

While using a household iron it is oftentimes necessary to discontinue ironing for a period of time in order to attend to another activity. Also, when the ironing is completed substantial time is required for the iron to cool to a temperature at which it may be safely stored away. Hence, there arise substantial periods of time when a hot iron is left unattended and is a potential hazard. Conventional iron rests, while insulating the iron from the supporting ironing board or table, do not prevent the iron from being knocked off in the event that the ironing board is jostled inadvertently, as for example, by a youn ster.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a support or holder for an iron which may be securely clamped to an ironing board or the like and which has easily operable means for securely clamping the iron thereto and from which it may be easily removed.

A further object is to provide an iron holder for positively securing an iron from inadvertent dislodgment and for holding it spaced from the ironing board or similar surface and which is relatively simple and inexpensive.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective of an iron holder in accordance with the invention, with an iron mounted thereon;

FIG. 2, a plan view of the holder of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3, a side elevation of the device of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4, a section on the line r4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5, a section on the line 55 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6, a section on the line 66 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7, a perspective of a modified rest and adjustable end clamp;

FIG. 8, a section on the line 88 of FIG. 7;

FlG. 9, a perspective of a modification;

FIG. 10, a plan view of the device of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11, a side elevation of the device of FIGS;

FIG. 12, a section on the line 12-12 of FIG. 11; and

FIG. 13, a section on the line 13-13 of FIG. 12.

Briefly stated, the invention includes a bracket attachable to an ironing board or the like with a horizontal portion having lateral and back abutments for the heel of the iron and having an inclined supporting portion with an adjustable positively engaging brace receiving the nose of the iron and resiliently urging it toward the back support.

With further reference to the drawings, there is illustrated an iron holder having a frame or bracket It consisting of a pair of spaced rails 11 having clamping end portions or members 13, 14 formed in or attached thereto and with reversely bent extremities for engaging the sides of an ironing board. Intermediate the ends 13, 14 the tracks 11 have an inclined portion 16 connected by legs 17 to the flat portion of the frame 10. Each of the rails 11 is preferably formed of a single length of resilient material such as steel, although other material may be used. The frame is constructed so that in the normal position of the ends 13, 14- the frame may be placed horizontally on the upper surface of an ironing board with I the ends 13, 14 spaced sufliciently apart to just clear its sides.

BJhZAlS Patented Dec. 22, 1854 ice In order to clamp the frame onto the ironing board a buckle assembly is provided. The buckle assembly comprises end plates 19 and 29 having angularly disposed flanges 21 and 22 at one end attached to the inclined leg portions 16 and 17, respectively of the rails 11. The plate member 19 is substantially triangular and tapers to an apex with an upstanding flange 23 midway between the rails 11. Similarly, plate 29 is substantially triangular and has spaced parallel upstanding brackets 25 at its apex. Pivotally connected to the bracket 25 by pin 26 is a lever 27 having a finger engaging portion 28 and a buckle 29 received in opening 30 in the lever.

The lever is of the toggle type and draws the ends 13, 14 of the rails together into clamping engagement with the sides of the ironing board. When released, the resiliency and springiness of the rails urges the ends 13, 14 apart, thus permitting easy dismounting of the holder from the ironing board.

In order to support and hold the iron on the holder a heel rest 32 is mounted laterally on the rails 11 and has a platform 33 with upwardly projecting side flanges 34 for preventing the iron from slipping oh the side of the holder. Rest 32 not only bridges the space between the rails and provides lateral support but also provides an additional connection therebetween for increasing the rigidity of the frame. The rest has an abutment 36 extending transversely to prevent rearward endwise movement of the iron. The abutment 36 is preferably formed integral with the platform 33 and has an angularly disposed back 37 which engages the top plate of the iron.

In order to be able to adjust the holder to fit boards of varying widths, the rest 32 has a series of spaced transverse slots for selectively receiving a latching dog 38 at one end of end plate or adjusting bracket 39 in which the board clamping end 13 is formed.

Other adjusting means may be used, as for example, that illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8. In the latter, adjusting bracket 39' has an arm 43 with elongated slot 43' therein received between guides 32 which are struck up out of rest 32, the arm 48 passing through a slot 36" in the rear wall of abutment 36 and beneath platform 33 and adjustably secured by fastening means 49 engaging the rest and the arm.

A brace or toe-clamping member 40 is provided to receive the toe of the iron. The brace includes a flat central portion i1 and upwardly and inwardly inclined side portions 42 which engage the sides and a portion of the top of the iron so that it cannot be lifted out or dislodged sideways. At each side of the fiat portion 41 a strut 44 extends through a lon itudinal slot 45 in the member 11, thereby permitting the brace to be moved for easy insertion and removal of an iron. In order to urge the brace onto the toe of an iron, a spring member 46 is attached at one end to the strut 44 and its other end to a strut M which is connected to the flange 21 of the plate w.

The holder described may be clamped to an ironing board and secured by the toggle 27. When not in use, the iron may be placed with its sole along the inclined portion to of the frame and with its toe resting on the flat portion 41 of the brace and engaged at its sides by the braces toe-clamping portions 42 and resting with its heel on the plate 32 and back member 37 and with the back prevented from lateral motion by flanges 34. In such position the iron is clamped at its heel and toe portions against lateral motion and at its toe portion against being lifted or inadvertently dislodged from the holder, the springs 46 resiliently urging the heel of the iron back against the rest. To remove, the iron is lifted at its heel part sufiiciently to clear the abutment 36 and permit withdrawal of h toe from the brace, without the necessity of touching the holder.

inasmuch as the major portion of the sole, as well as otherportions of the iron, is exposed to the air while in the holder, relatively rapid dissipation of heat is afforded, thusobviating overheating of the holder and permitting relatively rapid cooling of the iron after it is turned off.

In the modification of FIGS. 9-13, the iron holder is adapted for attachment to one side of an ironing board or table instead of being attached to both sides. In such modification the supporting frame is comprised of a plate 50 having a horizontal portion 51 with side flanges 52 struck up from the plate and a preferably backwardly inclined back flange 53 struck up from the central part of the portion 51.

' The plate has a clamping portion formed by the downturned flange 54 and curved clamping piece 55. In order to support the sole, the plate has an angularly disposed rest 58.

Slidably mounted on the rest is an iron slide or toeclamping member 60. The toe-clamping member has a plate portion 61 positioned on the upper side of the rest 58 and reversely turned portions 62, 63 substantially parallel to and spaced from portion 61. Wings 65 are struck out of the plate 60 and extend upwardly and inwardly to engage the toe of the iron. On the end of the part 63 a strut 66 projects downwardly for receiving an end of a spring 67. The other end of the spring is connected to a strut 69 which is struck from the plate 58 at its lower portion.

A detent 70 is struck from a side of the plate 58 and serves as a stop to prevent downward motion of the slide 60 past a predetermined position. At its other end a detent 72 is struck to limit movement of the slide off of the plate.

In the use of the holder of FIGS. 913 after it is clamped to the edge of the ironing board, the toe of the iron is inserted in the toe holder 6t) with the sole resting on the plate 61 and adjacent to the inclined rest portion 58 of the plate 54 The slide 60 may then be pushed outwardly by the toe sufficiently to permit the heel of the iron to be received on the flat portion 51 of the plate intermediate the flanges 52 and ahead of the stop 53. In such position the iron is held accurately against dislodgment. To remove, the reverse procedure is followed.

The iron holder of FIGS. 9-l3 is relatively easy to manufacture since it is formed principally from two plates from which elements are stamped or struck.

It will be understood that the present invention ineludes an adjustable clamping bracket for secure attachment to an ironing board or the like, having a heelengaging portion on a relatively flat surface thereof, the heel-engaging portion preventing lateral and endwise motion of the iron in one direction, and having inclined sole and toe-engaging portions extending therefrom above the horizontal, the toe-engaging portion having resilient means urging it into engagement with the toe whereby inadvertent dislodgment'is obviated.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the accompaying claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An iron holder comprising a pair of parallel rails having substantially straight side portions spaced apart by an inverted V-shaped portion,

the ends of said rails having reversely bent portions to receive the sides of an ironing board, said V-shaped portions having an inclined leg and a leg substantially perpendicular to the side portions,

latch means connecting the side portions across the open part of the V-shaped portion,

said latch means in locked position drawing the ends closer together than when in unlocked position,

a toe holder mounted on the inclined legs,

said toe holder having spaced side extensions for engaging the toe of an iron and connected by a web member adapted to support the sole of an iron,

said inclined legs having elongated slots therein, said toe holder having projections extending through said slots, spring means attached at one end to said projections and at its other end to the base of said inclined leg and tending to urge said toe holder toward said base, and a heel rest for said iron,

said heel rest comprising a web extending between said rails adjacent to the base of said inclined leg and having upstanding portions adapted to restrict lateral movement of the heel of the iron, and a stop member projecting upwardly from the rear of said heel rest and adapted to engage said iron to prevent longitudinal movement thereof away from said inclined leg. 2. An iron holder comprising a frame,

said frame comprising a pair of parallel rail members,

said rail members having reversely bent clamping portions at either end and facing each other for receiving the side edges of of an ironing board, said rail members having flat portions for lying across the top of an ironing board and having a support bracket intermediate the ends, a

said bracket having an inclined sole supporting portion and a connecting leg portion,

said sole supporting portion having a toe-clamping member extending between the rails and upwardly and inwardly on each side thereof,

said toe-clamping member being slidably mounted on the inclined sole supporting portion,

toggle means releasably connecting the two portions of the bracket sup ort,

a heel rest extending across the two rail members adjacent to the inclined sole supporting portion,

said heel rest having upwardly extending edge portions and an upwardly extending back portion, and

means urging said toe-clamping member toward the base.

3. The invention of claim 2, one of said reversely bent clamping portions having means adjustably interengageabe with said heel rest whereby boards of varying Widths may be received between said clamping portions.

4. The invention of claim 2 in which said heel rest has a plurality of longitudinally spaced slots and the adjacent reversely bent clamping portion has a detent engageable selectively with any of said slots.

5. The invention of claim 2 in which said heel rest has longitudinal guide means, the adjacent reversely bent clamping portion has an arm with a longitudinal slot, said arm receivable in said guide means, and releasable means for clamping said arm through said slot to said heel rest.

6. The invention of claim 5, said heel rest having a platform for supporting an iron, said platform positioned above the path of movement of said arm.

7. An iron holder comprising a frame,

,5. D said frame comprising a pair of spaced rail members,

said rail members having clamping portions at either end for receiving the side edges of an ironing board, said rail members having portions for lying across the top of an ironing board and having a support bracket int rmediate the ends, said bracket having an inclined sole supporting portion and a connecting le portion,

said sole supporting portion having a toe-clamping member extending between the rails,

said toe-clamping member being slidably mounted on the inclined sole supporting portion, adjustable means connecting the two portions of the bracket support, a heel rest extending across the two rail members adjacent to the inclined sole supporting portion,

said heel rest having upwardly extending edge porions and an upwardly extending back portion, and means urging said toe-clamping member toward the base. 8. An iron holder comprising a frame, said frame comprising a pair of parallel rail members, said rail members having oppositely disposed clamping portions at either end for receiving the side edges of an ironing board, one of said clamping portions being adjustably mounted, whereby the spacing between said clamping portions may be varied, said rail members having connecting portions for lying across the top of an ironing board and having a support bracket intermediate said clamping portions, said bracket having an inclined sole-supporting portion and a connecting leg portion, said sole-supporting portion having a toe-clamping member extending between the rails and upwardly and inwardly on each side thereof, said tooclamping member being slidably mounted on the inclined sole-supporting portion, a heel rest extending across the rail members adjacent to the inclined sole-supporting portion, said heel rest having upwardly extending side portions and an upwardly extending back portion, and means urging said toe-clamping member toward the base.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,031,893 Woodward July 9, 1912 1,532,688 Feuerstein Apr. 7, 1925 1,565,295 Shipp Dec. 15, 1925 2,550,019 Murphy Apr. 24, 1951 2,657,090 Tonks Oct. 27, 1953 2,821,259 Garretson Jan. 28, 1958 2,904,296 Graham M Sept. 15, 1959 

1. AN IRON HOLDER COMPRISING A PAIR OF PARALLEL RAILS HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY STRAIGHT SIDE PORTIONS SPACED APART BY AN INVERTED V-SHAPED PORTION, THE ENDS OF SAID RAILS HAVING REVERSELY BENT PORTIONS TO RECEIVE THE SIDES OF AN IRONING BOARD, SAID V-SHAPED PORTIONS HAVING AN INCLINED LEG AND A LEG SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR TO THE SIDE PORTIONS, LATCH MEANS CONNECTING THE SIDE PORTIONS ACROSS THE OPEN PART OF THE V-SHAPED PORTION, SAID LATCH MEANS IN LOCKED POSITION DRAWING THE ENDS CLOSER TOGETHERE THAN WHEN IN UNLOCKED POSITION, A TOE HOLDER MOUNTED ON THE INCLINED LEGS, SAID TOE HOLDER HAVING SPACED SIDE EXTENSIONS FOR ENGAGING THE TOE OF AN IRON AND CONNECTED BY A WEB MEMBER ADAPTED TO SUPPORT THE SOLE OF AN IRON, SAID INCLINED LEGS HAVING ELONGATED SLOTS THEREIN, SAID TOE HOLDER HAVING PROJECTIONS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID SLOTS, SPRING MEANS ATTACHED AT ONE END TO SAID PROJECTIONS AND AT ITS OTHER END TO THE BASE OF SAID INCLINED LEG AND TENDING TO URGE SAID TOE HOLDER TOWARD SAID BASE, AND A HEEL REST FOR SAID IRON, SAID HEEL REST COMPRISING A WEB EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID RAILS ADJACENT TO THE BASE OF SAID INCLINED LEG AND HAVING UPSTANDING PORTIONS ADAPTED TO RESTRICT LATERAL MOVEMENT OF THE HEEL OF THE IRON, AND A STOP MEMBER PROJECTING UPWARDLY FROM THE REAR OF SAID HEEL REST AND ADAPTED TO ENGAGE SAID IRON TO PREVENT LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT THEREOF AWAY FROM SAID INCLINED LEG. 